4-8 | Inspired Homeschooling

The Pumpkin Fair: Fall festival fun makes you feel like you’re there! {Picture Book Review}

Themes of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

Siblings having fun and celebrating together. Poetic language.

Discussion Questions

Why do you think the little pumpkin wanted to be fierce?

Who was the pumpkin’s role model? Do you think he was a good role model? Why or why not?

What are things that make you feel big and important?

Academic Tie-ins

Science (change, pumpkin life cycle, fall)

Parents might want to know

There is a scene where the children dance in a circle around the pumpkin “singing a song to the terrific, terrible pumpkin with the zigzag grin.”

This beautifully illustrated picture book captures the wholesome fun of a local fall festival with all of its costumes, contests, games, and pumpkin-themed fun.

It’s a rhyming book, but, honestly, the rhyme scheme is fairly clunky in parts. There also isn’t much plot to this book. A little girl takes her pumpkin to the pumpkin fair knowing that it isn’t the biggest, the smallest, the prettiest, or the most creatively presented. But she really loves it anyway, because it’s hers and she grew it. Somehow, at least one of the judges sees this love, and rewards it a ribbon.

So why am I reviewing it? Why do I love it?

I really love the illustrations in this book. They are so detailed, and colorful, and everyone looks so happy. You can feel the bright sun and the cool breeze. You can hear the pumpkin seeds being spit and the cheers of the tug-o-war. I can even almost smell the funnel cakes, but maybe that’s just me.

The illustrations make you feel like you’re right there in the middle of all of the best fun that the best of small-town America has to offer at the best time of year. It’s the perfect addition to your sweater weather picture book collection.

Picture Book Review: The Witch’s Hat is laugh-out-loud spooky fun

Themes of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

This one is mostly just plain fun. The witch demonstrates bravery and perseverance in the face of frustration. The language is rich with literary devices and simple but fun dialogue.

Discussion Questions

Have you ever created a problem for yourself that was way harder than it should have been to fix?

Academic Tie-ins

This one is just for fun!

Parents might want to know

If you’re not into witches and spells and potions, skip this one.

If you’re looking for a funny, light-hearted Halloween picture book to share with your children, The Witch’s Hat tops my list of recommendations. The repeated rhyming aside (“It was a magic pot, in case you forgot”) and the witch’s exclamations of triumph and frustration combine to make this one of my favorite Halloween books to read aloud.

The story is simple. A witch inadvertently casts a spell on her hat which in turn tries to run from her, taking on a variety of disguises to avoid detection. She’s a clever witch though, and she devises simple tests (pinching the bats, poking the rats) to separate the hat from the bats/rats/cats. It’s a battle of wits and perseverance. Who wins? Make sure you turn to the very last illustration before you decide!

This one is out-of-print, but you can watch it read aloud here:

October 3, 2024 Book Reviews: Books for Children, Media Reviews Post a Comment

Book Review: The Fierce Yellow Pumpkin is just spooky enough

Themes of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

Siblings having fun and celebrating together. Poetic language.

Discussion Questions

Why do you think the little pumpkin wanted to be fierce?

Who was the pumpkin’s role model? Do you think he was a good role model? Why or why not?

What are things that make you feel big and important?

Academic Tie-ins

Science (change, pumpkin life cycle, fall)

Parents might want to know

There is a scene where the children dance in a circle around the pumpkin “singing a song to the terrific, terrible pumpkin with the zigzag grin.”

This is a peculiar little book. The language is delightful, as one might expect from the beloved author of Goodnight Moon. The repetition of “fat little, round little, orange little pumpkin” and phrases like “fierce, ferocious gobble-gooble face” make it a real joy to read out loud. The illustrations are captivating. The drawings of the children have an oddness to them, but the pictures of the mice and the pumpkin and the scenes of the fields with the scarecrow are all very engaging.

What makes the book peculiar is the protagonist. Our fat little, round little, orange little pumpkin wants to be big. Fair enough. But he also wants to be mean. In the end, he gets his wish. He becomes a “terrific, terrible pumpkin with [a] zigzag grin.” And, as he wished, the mice run when they see him.

If you are looking for a “spooky season” book for your little ones that isn’t too dark or scary, this fits the bill. My sensitive little boy (now 19!) gasped when the pumpkin’s fierce face was revealed, which is particularly amusing given the drawing is pretty much the same as the one on the cover of the book. The prose and illustrations also perfectly capture the crisp yet dreary feeling of late October. The book more than delivers as an addition to the Halloween atmosphere.

You can read it for that alone – enjoy the illustrations and the lyrical language and then let it go on its merry way. Or, you can dig a little deeper and wonder together why this pumpkin wants to be mean and scary. It could be an interesting conversation starter, especially if you have a little pumpkin who likes to be scary.

October 2, 2024 Book Reviews: Books for Children, Media Reviews Post a Comment

Book Review: Happy childhood memories come to life in Roxaboxen

Themes of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

A tale of friendship, family, growing up, warm memories, home and belonging, creativity and imagination.

Discussion Questions

Why do you think Marian was mayor “of course?”

Have you ever had a special place like Roxaboxen?

If you were a citizen of Roxaboxen, what kind of shop would you open or what job would you have?

Academic Tie-ins

Economics, government, social studies

Maria Montessori was known for saying that “play is the work of the child.” In this beautiful and lyrical book by Alice McLerran, lovingly illustrated by Barbara Cooney, we see children playing at being grown up.

Out in the desert, with very few resources, Marian and her friends create the town of Roxaboxen. Complete with houses, shops, a Mayor, money, and laws, Roxaboxen provides a place for its citizens to do the important work of childhood.

We learn in the back matter of the book that this is a true story belonging to the author’s mother. Roxaboxen was such an important part of her childhood, that she had written her own manuscript about it as a child. Combining that manuscript with memories of relatives as well as maps and letters from other former residents of Roxaboxen, Alice McLerran lovingly recreates the special place of her mother’s childhood.

Barbara Cooney’s beautifully detailed illustrations bring McLerran’s loving descriptions to life. Cooney made two trips to the desert home of Roxaboxen to capture the magic of the place.

This is the kind of book that soothes and inspires children. Read it with your kids, and don’t be surprised when they create their own magical world in your backyard.

Title	The Witch’s Hat
Author	Tony Johnston
Illustrator	Margo Tomes
Publication Date	1984
Age Range	3-5, 4-8
Overall Rating	4 stars
Literary Value	4 stars
Artistic Value	3 stars

A warty little pumpkin wins the most-loved prize.

Themes of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

Discussion Questions

Academic Tie-ins

Parents might want to know

Spectacular Illustrations

After inadvertently casting a spell on her hat, a witch must catch the tricky hat and return it to her head.

Themes of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

Discussion Questions

Academic Tie-ins

Parents might want to know

The tale of a special place where children create a grown-up world of their own.

Themes of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

Discussion Questions

Academic Tie-ins

Parents might want to know

The tale of a special place where children create a grown-up world of their own.

Themes of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness

Discussion Questions

Academic Tie-ins